


Better Be Ravenclaw!

by irridescansun



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Blood Magic, Dark Magic, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 22:17:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11610069
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irridescansun/pseuds/irridescansun
Summary: “Better be… Ravenclaw!”The silence that spread through the great hall was palpable. No one said a word. Even the professors looked shocked. They all stared at the tiny figure on the wooden chair, dressed in dark Hogwarts robes. Even as the deep purple trim and Ravenclaw crest appeared, the shock and awe remained.





	1. Chapter 1

“Better be… Ravenclaw!”

The silence that spread through the great hall was palpable. No one said a word. Even the professors looked shocked. They all stared at the tiny figure on the wooden chair, dressed in dark Hogwarts robes. Even as the deep purple trim and Ravenclaw crest appeared, the shock and awe remained.

Then the whispers started. ‘A Malfoy in Ravenclaw?’ 

‘It’s a mistake!’

‘No doubt some dirty Slytherin trick!’

‘Who knew Malfoy had a sister?’

‘She doesn’t really look like a Malfoy.’

It was partially true. Lyra Gemini Malfoy didn’t look like a typical Malfoy. Instead of the trademark blond locks, Lyra’s hair was dark. Her curls cascaded down her back in soft spirals that bounced lightly every time she moved. And instead of the icy blue, near silver, eyes, Lyra’s eyes were the colour of storm clouds just before a terrible storm. They seemed to see everything and nothing. 

She was far from what anyone expected. Earlier in the evening, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, had gotten up from his usual chair and stood in front of the students. This was a bit unusual but not odd. See, this all happened before the sorting of new students but everyone knew the headmaster was a bit barmy.

“Students!” he had said in his usual jovial manner, “We’re going to welcome a very special student; a transfer student all the way from the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.”

No one could have guessed that she would be a Malfoy and simultaneously destroy whatever image most of the students had in their heads of what a female Malfoy would be like.

Professor McGonagall removed the sorting hat from Lyra’s head. Storm grey eyes danced around the hall until they settled on the Slytherin table. Then, those eyes turned away, dismissing whatever she had found there and turned to the house of ravens. With a single quirk of her lips, she slipped gracefully from the stool and sauntered over to the table. 

There was a cheer from the table as students made space for their newest member. All the while, a curious green gaze followed Lyra’s every move. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“She’s pretty enough but who needs another Malfoy?” Ron Weasley, a tall red head with freckles and gangly limbs said around an entire turkey leg.

The sorting of new students had come and gone. Give or take a few, each House gained a respectable number of students. 

Hermione Granger, a slightly shorter, bushy haired girl with a slight overbite frowned and smacked him with a book she was reading. 

“’Mione!” the read head whined.

“Chew with your mouth closed and don’t talk with your mouth full, Ronald!”

Harry Potter, by far the shortest of the trio, snorted quietly and turned his attention back to the Ravenclaw table. While his two friends squabbled, semi-good naturedly, Harry himself chose to study the newest edition to the Hogwarts family.

She was actually shorter than him, which secretly pleased Harry, and could tell that she was a year younger than him. She was also very pretty. When those deep grey eyes looked up and found his green ones, a blush flushed his face and he quickly dropped his gaze. He peaked up again just in time to see a smile spread across her face before she was drawn into a conversation with one of the upper years. Ravenclaws were a curious bunch. 

He watched various emotions flit across her face because her face became a mask of a smile that meant everything and nothing. It was pleasant but it didn’t light up her face nor make her eyes shine the way the smile that she showed him did. 

He jumped when Hermione jabbed him in the side with a scowl. He turned his attention back to his friends. With a small frown, he rubbed his side.

“There was no reason for that, Hermione.” He said.

She had the grace to look mildly apologetic before she frowned. “I called you four times, Harry. What had you zoned out so much?”

Harry lowered his voice and leaned in closer to Hermione. The Great Hall was loud and boisterous with students catching up and eating but still, it wouldn’t do for anyone to hear that he had and interest in a Malfoy. 

“The new girl, Malfoy’s sister. I didn’t know he even had a sister.”

Hermione leaned in as well, voice low. “I don’t think anyone did. It’s almost like the Malfoy’s didn’t want anyone to know.”

Harry glanced at the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy, normally the centre of attention, sat in his seat, rigid and angry, a deep scowl marring his features. His unblinking stare set permanently on the Ravenclaw table. His housemates and friends seemed to be avoiding the pouty blonde. Only Blaise Zabini, the tall, dark, soft-spoken, half Italian seemed amused by the turn of events. Every once in a while, the blond would turn and snap at him but it only caused his amusement to grow. Even Pansy Parkinson, Malfoy’s ever present shadow thought it prudent to find a seat further down the table, far away from the seething ball of blond ire.

Harry nudged Hermione and she turned to look as well. 

“I can’t imagine Malfoy’s very happy.”

Harry smiled a little. “No, I can’t imagine he is.” The two dissolved into gales of laughter.

Ginevra ‘Ginny’ Weasley frowned from beside Ron. “What’s so funny? Care to share with the rest of us?” 

Harry and Hermione calmed down a little. With lots of breaths and laughter breaks, they tried to explain but after several attempts failed, they collapsed in laughter once again. This time, they had a very confused audience. 

The rest of the meal went on without much fuss. But, before the students were allowed to leave, the headmaster stood up once again, this time to introduce Remus Lupin as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Then the students were dismissed. 

Harry wasn’t one hundred percent sure but, he could have sworn he heard the twins, Fred and George Weasley, taking bets on how long the new professor was going to last at Hogwarts.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Further off around the Corner, Harry Potter stood stock still against the wall between two suits of armour and out of sight. He strained and listened for a response. He hadn’t meant to intrude on the family moment, he really hadn’t. He was simply going to the library to find Hermione. That’s all. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Malfoy with his own sister. It’s not like he had a crush on her or anything. He was only thirteen for Merlin’s sake!

A frown flitted across her pretty face for a split second before Lyra managed to school her features into a polite and cordial smile. Her thought did not match.

‘How dare he!’ her mind screamed

Instead, she looked up at her older brother, Draco Lucius Malfoy. They stood in the hallway just outside the Great Hall, surrounded by Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini. 

“To what do I owe this honour?” her voice was mild but her eyes told each and everyone one of them exactly what she thought of their little display. 

Each of them, especially Draco, flinched back. A flash of satisfaction trilled through her. 

Further off around the Corner, Harry Potter stood stock still against the wall between two suits of armour and out of sight. He strained and listened for a response. He hadn’t meant to intrude on the family moment, he really hadn’t. He was simply going to the library to find Hermione. That’s all. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Malfoy with his own sister. It’s not like he had a crush on her or anything. He was only thirteen for Merlin’s sake!

“I’m sorry, Lyra. Father insisted I … that is, we speak to you. He wanted me to … introduce you to Nott … I mean Theodore here.” Draco said.

Lyra’s expression closed off completely. She turned away from Draco and regarded the only other blond in the corridor. He was tall. His hair wasn’t the pure almost white blond that the Malfoy family was known for. Instead, it was a dirty blond almost brown, really. His eyes were a nice, solid dark blue. His nose was a bit too narrow and his ears seemed too large for his face but Lyra knew that he would grow into those features. After all, he was only thirteen.

The smile slid from her face. It left her face still pretty but now instead of being inviting, it was cold and disdainful. She gave him a deep curtsey and bowed her neck. For his part, Theodore floundered a bit before he straightened up and bowed low at the waist, one arm in front on his stomach and the other behind on his back.

“Lyra Gemini Malfoy. Consider us introduced.” She said as she rose from the curtsey. 

She turned to walk away. Her mind raced with anger. How dare her father try to marry her off and allow Draco to remain free and unattached? It seemed to her that Lucius Malfoy needed a reminder as to why he sent her off to France in the first place. 

Before she could disappear around the corner, she caught sight for Harry, from where he huddled. She raised an eyebrow at him. He put his finger to his lips and shook his head. Her eyes softened and her lips twitched. 

Theodore cleared his throat after a nudge from Draco. Lyra stopped and turned back, irritated. 

“Yes?” It wasn’t that her voice was cold. It simply lacked warmth. She wanted exactly nothing to do with him.

“Might I escort you to your dorm?” For his part, Theodore seemed bored and uninterested as well. It was like he was forced to participate when he would much rather be doing something else.

Lyra regarded him for a few moments. “No.” she said. “But you can direct me to the owlery.”

Draco winced again. Blaise had maintained a stoic disposition throughout the meeting but hearing Lyra rebuff Theodore’s attempt to get to know her made him crack. He tried to hide his laughter behind a series of wracking coughs but it didn’t fool anyone.

For his part, Theodore didn’t seem too broken up about it. He accepted her rebuff with a light nod of his head and gave her the directions she asked for. Then he turned and walked away. Blaise gave up trying to hide his laughter and followed Theodore out of sight, his laughter trailing behind him. 

Once they were gone, Lyra attempted to leave. This time she was stopped by Draco’s gentle yet firm grasp on her arm. 

“Father will not be pleased about this.” He said.

“No, I’m quite sure he won’t be.”

“He’s doing this to protect you.”

“No. He’s doing this to protect what’s left of the Malfoy name after he and Grandfather Abraxas all but ruined it.”

“Father just wants to keep you removed from what’s coming, sister!”

“In case you’re incapable of recalling, brother, I was pretty far removed in France! And a Nott? Really? That doesn’t scream removed, to me.”

The two siblings stared each other down for a long time. Finally, it was Draco that turned away first. He shook his head.

“You don’t understand what’s coming.” His voice was so soft that Harry had to strain to hear him.

“Probably not, thanks to my being removed and all.”

Draco let out a bark of laughter and put his hand over his mouth. Then he shook his head. “I’ve missed you.”

Lyra smiled, soft and light. “I know.” She said.

Draco walked away. Lyra watched him go and shook her head. He wanted so badly to be like their father, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. Even when they were children before Lyra went to France and Draco started Hogwarts, Draco always tried to emulate Lucius. From the way he walked to he way he talked, Once when they were about eight and seven respectively, Draco had found a stick and used liked their father used his snake head cane. In fact, Lyra was pretty sure that if their mother Narcissa Malfoy nee Black, had not insisted on cutting his hair, Draco would have worn it just like their father’s. 

Once Draco was out of sight, Lyra called out. “Alright. They’re gone. You can come out now.” 

Then she waited. And waited. And waited. Then she got tired of waiting. “Fine.” She said. “If you wont come here, I’m coming there.”

She started forward, towards the wall. Then Harry came out. He was short, taller than her but still short with messy dark brown almost black hair and pretty green eyes encased in hideous round glassed. 

Lyra fought the urge to try and smooth his hair down and fix his clothing. He looked a little scraggly, like his clothing was a bit too big for him. 

“Why were you spying on us, boy?” 

He frowned at her. “My name is Harry Potter. Not boy.”

She regarded him again. The seconds ticked by. Finally she nodded. “Alright then, Harry Potter. Why were you spying on us?”

He shuffled a bit. “I wasn’t spying. Not really. This is the way to the Library. I was going to find Hermione. Then you and your bother and his friends were talking and I didn’t want to intrude. Plus, you brother and I don’t really get along. Are you really going to marry Theodore Nott someday? Aren’t you a little young to be thinking of marriage already?”

Lyra’s eyebrows reached her hairline and before she could stop herself, she collapsed into giggles. Harry watched in awe as Lyra leaned against the wall and laughed. His eyes traced the way her eyes closed and her lips widened. The way her curls bounced and the way her face flushed and her teeth shined were permanently burned into his mind.

Then he realised that she was laughing at him and he frowned and waited for her to recover. When she did, she had to wipe tears from the corner of her eyes.

“You’re very funny Harry Potter.”

She stopped and stared at him, particularly his face and hair. She reached out a hand and fingered the locks. 

“You said your name was Potter, correct? Your father wouldn’t happen to be James Potter, son of Charlus Potter and Dorea Potter nee Black, would it?” she asked.

Harry frowned in confusion. “I don’t know about his parents but James Potter was my dad.” 

Lyra made a non-committal sound in the back of her throat and put her hand out to Harry, palm down, formal. He simply stared at it. She sighed. 

“You’re meant to take my hand.” She said. 

He took her hand but the way one would when shaking hands. She snorted, inelegant and impatient. 

“Not like that.” She fixed his hands to where he was holding hers but the way a gentleman would hold a lady’s hand when greeting her formally. While Harry was holding her hand, Lyra executed a deep curtsy. 

“Lyra Gemini Malfoy. A pleasure.”

She rose from the curtsey and frowned again. “You’re meant to bow. Touch my hand to your forehead and introduce yourself. Full name.”

Harry followed her instructions. “Harold James Potter … um … Nice to meet you?”

Lyra sighed and pulled her hand away. She frowned. “Has no one taught you any manners?”

Harry frowned as well. “My manners are just fine.”

Lyra snorted, inelegant and amused. “For a muggle.”

Harry felt himself crack a smile. Lyra turned to walk away. She even made it a few steps when Harry called back to her. 

“Um, Malfoy?” he called, voice hesitant.

She stopped and turned back to him, curious. “Yes?”

“Um. The owlery is the other way.” He said pointing in the opposite direction she was headed. 

Lyra gifted him with a soft smile, turned and sauntered down the way he pointed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Bloody bird’s a menace!” Ron cried as he grabbed the letter addressed to him and the newspaper from the bird.
> 
> Harry made to turn back to his thoughts when Hedwig flew in. She glided down to him and nipped his hear. He stroked her feathers with a fond smile.
> 
> “What do you have for me, girl?” he asked her.

Harry was confused. Yes he had heard about Sirius Black, the notorious mass murderer apparently out for his blood. But that wasn’t what confused him. No. The cause of his confusion sat at the Ravenclaw table with her head bent together with the odd ball Luna Lovegood. Harry was confused because she wasn’t anything like her older brother.

Harry glanced over to the Slytherin table at Draco Malfoy and his cronies. Most people wouldn’t pick up on it but the Slytherins had been off since the arrival of the youngest Malfoy. Sure they were still mean but their bark had no bite to it. It seemed like they were all cowed by the little dark spitfire. 

It was morning. The first day of classes and the Great Hall was alive and full of life yet the topic of conversation, which Harry was grateful that for once it wasn’t him, was Lyra Malfoy.

Who knew Ravenclaws were such gossips but the prevailing theory was that Lyra had something in her blood that made her less than pure so the Malfoys shipped her off to keep her out of the public eye. 

Based off of the conversation he had heard last night, that wasn’t the case. The sudden screeching of owls shook him from his thoughts and he looked up. The owls came swooping in from the open window and soared majestically to their owners. Errol, right on schedule, flew into the scrambled eggs and up-ended quite a few goblets of pumpkin juice. 

“Bloody bird’s a menace!” Ron cried as he grabbed the letter addressed to him and the newspaper from the bird.

Harry made to turn back to his thoughts when Hedwig flew in. She glided down to him and nipped his hear. He stroked her feathers with a fond smile.

“What do you have for me, girl?” he asked her. 

Hedwig shook herself and held out her leg. The package was large and seemed a little heavy. Ron looked over and, in his usual manner, brought attention to it. 

“Bloody hell! What could that be? You never get any packages!” Ron said.

“Thank you, Ron. I needed a reminder.” He said in a dry voice.

Sarcasm seemed to fly over his head because Ron answered, “S’okay, mate.”

Harry checked to see whom the package was from. There was so indication of the sender. He looked at the head table but all of the professors were deep in conversation. Even Severus Snape, as sour and cranky as he could get, seemed less moody while speaking with the newest edition to the teaching staff, Remus Lupin.

He glanced at Hermione but she shrugged her shoulders. “If it’s dangerous, or anything that can be used to cause harm, we’ll report it to Professor McGonagall.” 

Harry nodded at his ever-sensible friend. He reached forward and opened the package. It was books. Five books to be exact; two on pureblood etiquette, one on the lineage of every family in the Wizengamot and two on rites and rituals of the Wizarding world. 

He managed to hide the smile from his friends but only because they were too busy staring at the contents of the package to look at his face. Harry managed to school his features by the time Ron picked up one of the books and examined. 

“Who sends someone books?” he questioned. As usual, he had taken a bite of something and his mouth was full. He sprayed food across the table. Hermione frowned at him.

“Do not speak with your mouth full, Ronald. Besides, books are a perfectly acceptable gift. But who sent them to you and why these ones?” She asked.

Hermione was smart. She picked up on the significance of the books but not the reason why they would be sent to Harry himself. Heck, Harry knew who had sent them. It was the why that boggled his mind. 

He snuck a glance over at the Ravenclaw table. Lyra was no longer speaking with Luna. Instead she was watching him. Slowly and very deliberately, she picked up her goblet and raised it to him with a small smile. Harry himself answered with a small smile of his own.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hermione Granger was not stupid. No. In fact, if one were to ask her professors, she was the most brilliant and brightest witch of the current age, rivalled only by Lilly Potter herself. So, it was no wonder she noticed the small exchange between Lyra Malfoy and her best friend Harry Potter.

Hermione knew that Harry was special. He was the boy who lived. He was also a very talented Wizard when he put his mind to it and he could be very bright if only he studied more. She glanced between the Ravenclaw table and her best friend and the wheels in her head started turning. 

She was almost positive that Lyra had sent the package but the real question was why? Why send books on pureblood etiquette and lineage and rituals? What did she have to gain by educating Harry in those ways? Did she hope to sway him to the dark side? Was it something more?

Hermione frowned. This was a puzzle. And she loved puzzles. 

“Hey, Harry?” she asked. He jumped and she smiled.

“Yeah, ‘Mione?”

“Do you think I could borrow those books when you’re done with them?” Hermione asked. She did want to get her hands on those books, maybe learn some more about the Wizarding World. She hoped to stay after the graduated, maybe get an apprenticeship or even a job at the Ministry.

Harry stared down at the books on the table for a long time and for a while, Hermione’s spirits dropped; she thought that he was going to refuse. Then, he picked one of the etiquette books up and handed it to her.

“How about we read them together? That way, you don’t have to wait for me to be done. I know you’re a bibliophile.” He told her with a smile.

Hermione grinned at him and snatched the book and immediately started to read. Harry did the same thing. Both of them immersed themselves in the rules surrounding the Wizarding World, things no one had ever bothered to teach them.  
 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyra nodded. There was a reason she was a Ravenclaw. She loved knowledge. Yes she had all the traits of a Slytherin, she was after all a Malfoy, but she loved a good book and she was intelligent, creative, and sensible; everything that a Ravenclaw ought to be.

The days went by and there was not a moment that Lyra Malfoy didn’t miss France. The curriculum at Hogwarts was laughably easy and children, remarkably stupid. The only upsides were her brother, the few friends she had made and Harry Potter. While she didn’t get to speak to him after their initial encounter, she still got to watch him from afar. Sometimes he seemed horribly mundane and then other times, she could see why he was the chosen one, the saviour, and she could see how he became the-boy-who-lived. 

Before arriving at Hogwarts, she had no idea about any of that. Her parents saw fit to keep her in the dark about a lot of the goings on of England. While English was her first language, Lyra grew up at one of the many Malfoy chateaus in France under the care of a branch family in the Malfoy line. 

Now she was at Hogwarts, the very place neither of her parents had wanted her to come. They had considered not sending Draco to Hogwarts either but the optics of not allowing the Malfoy heir to attend the most prestigious school world would not have been good. 

It really and truly came as a bit of a shock when, while walking through the corridors of the school one day, none other than Hermione Granger, friend to Harry Potter and one third of the so-called ‘golden trio’ approached her.

“Um, Lyra Malfoy?” she had asked. 

Lyra turned and raised an eyebrow. Granger looked so very nervous. Then Lyra’s eyebrows shot to her hairline when the muggle born gave her a very formal greeting complete with a curtsey and the lowering of her eyes and neck.

“Greetings. I am Hermione Jean Granger.” She said as she rose from her curtsey.

Lyra simply stared at her for a long time before she bowed in return.

“Lyra Gemini Malfoy.”

“I know that we do not know one another but I have a few questions about the book by Johann Halsey.” Hermione said.

Lyra’s eyes lit up then she frowned. “Which book?”

Hermione rolled her eyes. “The one you sent Harry about Wizarding Etiquette?”

A smile lit, Lyra’s eyes. “Go on.”

The two girls walked together. 

“Well the book talked about legitimizing half-bloods and recognizing muggle-borns. I was hoping you would be able to explain further?”

Lyra nodded. There was a reason she was a Ravenclaw. She loved knowledge. Yes she had all the traits of a Slytherin, she was after all a Malfoy, but she loved a good book and she was intelligent, creative, and sensible; everything that a Ravenclaw ought to be.

“Well, legitimizing is simply a way to allow a child to become heir and thus inherit. My family had to legitimize both Draco and myself. It’s a ceremony that involves blood. When we were born they took each of us the Ministry, pricked our fingers and dropped our blood on the family parchment. Each pureblood family has one.” Lyra said.

Hermione nodded, absorbing all the information being given to her.

“And recognizing muggle-borns?”

“That has more to do with the Sacred Twenty-eight. You know about them right?”

Hermione nodded. “The Twenty-eight families in the British Isles still considered to be of Pure Blood in the 1930’s.”

It was Lyra’s turn to nod. “Well, all you have to do is get a member to one of those families to essentially adopt you or take you on as their ward. It would raise your status.”

“So hypothetically I’d no longer be a muggle-born?”

Lyra shook her head. “No. You’d still be a muggle-born but you’d no longer be considered a mud-blood. Not quite a half-blood but up there. You wouldn’t be considered impure because, for lack of better phrasing, you would have been taken in and educated on the correct procedures and behaviours befitting proper lady.”

“Huh.” Hermione said. “I’ve been sort of informally adopted by the Weasley’s they’re purebloods. Does that count?”

“Unfortunately not. While still apart of the Sacred Twenty-eight, the Weasley family are not considered upstanding Purebloods. However, if you really want to change your status, you might be able to talk Potter into adopting you or Longbottom or even Abbott.” Lyra said.

Hermione scrunched up her nose and face with thought. Lyra fought the urge to smooth out her forehead so that the other girl wouldn’t get wrinkles.

“The Potters aren’t apart of the Sacred 28.” Hermione said with surety.

“No, they’re not but Harry Potter is the-boy-who-lived and his grandmother was a member of the Sacred Twenty-eight being a Black. His great grandmother was a Rosier and his godfather was a Sirius Black who is still Lord Black and who bequeathed his belongings and all of his titles and status to none other than Harry Potter himself. Potter is your best bet, Granger. Neither Longbottom nor Abbott has titles other than heir. Potter does.” Lyra said.

Hermione narrowed her eye. “Why do you know all of this?”

Lyra shrugged her shoulders, movement so graceful and elegant that Hermione stared for a few moments. “I’m a Ravenclaw. I like to know things.”

Hermione shook her head. “I meant about Harry. Why do you care?”

Lyra frowned. “I don’t, not really.”

“You must care a little bit to got out of your way to find out about his family history.”

“But, I didn’t go out of my way.” She regarded Hermione with a cool stare. “Do you know why most Purebloods hate or at least severely dislike muggle-borns? Hint. It has absolutely nothing to do with blood.”

Hermione thought about it for a bit. If not blood, when why hate all muggle-borns with such a passion? She shook her head. 

“Okay, I give. Why do they hate us so much?”

Lyra shook her head, her curls bouncing. “Unlike you, the rest of your kin aren’t as studious. When we’re children, etiquette, customs, history, family legacies are drilled into us even before we can fully understand. It’s who we are. Some muggle-borns come and they’re like you. They want to know everything they can and most are adopted by Purebloods and taught but most of them that come aren’t like you. They don’t care about our history, our culture. They don’t care that it is considered rude to simply butt into a conversation or that gentleman must ask permission of the oldest male relative around before speaking to certain ladies unless the lady seeks you out first. They don’t care for our holidays or traditions or even our rituals and beliefs. But you, Granger, you care. You want to know. I admire that. If not for my father and brother, I’d adopt you myself.”

Hermione smiled despite the, at times, harsh words. Thinking back on it, there were times when she had been rude without meaning to be. She glanced down at the book in her hands and frowned.

“Why isn’t this book mandatory for muggle-born students and half-bloods raised in the muggle world?” Hermione asked.

Lyra regarded the talented witch for a few long seconds then she shrugged. “I could tell you a very pretty story with some big words but the truth is, I simply don’t know. Honestly, it would make things so much easier.” 

The two young women lapsed into a companionable silence unaware of the angry silver eyes watching them from the outer courtyard.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lyra smiled. “I might have let it slip that Granger could potentially gain status by approaching a member of the Sacred Twenty-eight and getting them to adopt her. I might have also told her that her best bet was with Potter since he was technically heir to both house Potter and house Black.”

Lyra knew it was only a matter to time before her brother approached her. After all, she had received no reply to the scathing and somewhat disrespectful letter she had sent home to her father earlier two weeks ago. It really and truly came as no shock when Draco Malfoy himself approached her. What was a shock was that he had no one else with him.

“This is a surprise, brother.” She said.

Draco scowled at her. “Is it? Must you insist on angering father? He’s trying to keep you safe.”

Lyra huffed. “I’m fine, Draco. I’m one of the top students in my year and I have not been cavorting with any unsavoury characters. Those things alone should show him I am more that capable of handling myself in Wizarding Britton.”

“You’ve been cavorting with a mud-blood and with Potter! I know it was you who sent him those books.” Lyra could almost see the steam coming out of his ears.

“You know his family history and you know how closely related he is to our family. Sirius Black, our second cousin, is his godfather. He should know his family history. He should know about our culture and our customs and yet he acts like a muggle-born.” Lyra said.

“The mud-blood?” Draco asked. He already didn’t like the answers he was getting.

“I have a feeling that Hermione Granger will be recognized by both the house of Potter and the house of Black very soon, possibly even this year.”

Draco regarded his sister. She was a lot shorter than him and she always would be. While she was short, delicate wasn’t a word that rang true. She was more compact with her dark, glossy curls, stormy grey eyes, plump red lips and gentle demeanour. In another year or so, Draco knew he would have to duel many a suitor to keep him away from his precious little sister.

He always knew it was a bad idea to send Lyra Malfoy to school in France. She was a sponge, absorbing everything. She was also too driven, determined and stubborn for a woman, at least in his very humble opinion. When Lyra Malfoy wanted something, she usually got it. When the Sorting Hat called out Ravenclaw whilst atop her head, Draco was surprised. His little sister was just as sly, sneaky, manipulative and vengeful as any Slytherin. 

Draco had a feeling that Lucius Malfoy would be very proud of his daughter if he weren’t so busy trying to mould her into the perfect pureblood wife for one of his cronies’ sons. 

He sighed. “How’d you come upon this news?”

Lyra smiled. “I might have let it slip that Granger could potentially gain status by approaching a member of the Sacred Twenty-eight and getting them to adopt her. I might have also told her that her best bet was with Potter since he was technically heir to both house Potter and house Black.”

“I’ll let father know you’ve been busy.” He glanced at her once again. “Why are you so interested in Potter?”

His big brother was peaking out. If his sister had romantic designs on Potter, Draco would allow that to happen just as soon as he expressed his intent to court the mud-blood, Granger, so never.

“I don’t know.” And that was the truth. Draco scowled but left it at that. Then he left to go and get ready for the Quidditch match. Before he got to the door he turned.

“You should come to the Quidditch match.” He said.

Lyra frowned. “I don’t understand your obsession with that sport.”

Draco laughed. “You should still come and watch me crush Potter.”

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the end, Lyra did go and she regretted it. It was cold and rainy. If not for warming charms and water repellent charms, she was pretty sure that she would be doing a fair impression of a drowned rat.

Still, she watched her brother soar and spin and drop in the sky even while the thunder crashed and lightening flashed. He looked truly happy. 

Unwittingly, her eyes found Harry Potter with his messy hair and luminescent green eyes. He was in his element and Lyra found herself watching him feint and swoop all the while retraining herself from crying out when he dropped only to ascend once again with a silly grin on his face.

It all took a turn for the worst when the Dementors showed up. Apparently the-boy-who-lived didn’t take too well to the creatures and he dropped like a stone. Lyra was a hairs breath away from pulling out her wand to catch him when the Headmaster himself casted the Arresto Momentum charm and stopped him from hitting the ground.

Lyra looked around and found her brother, the game suspended, on the ground surrounded by a group of Slytherins, laughing and making fun of the way Potter fell. She couldn’t outright show her displeasure but she was a little worried about the-boy-who-lived. After all, it wouldn’t do for her investment to be ruined before it had time to mature.

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The last thing Harry remembered was someone screaming and then pitch black. When he woke up, he was in the hospital wing. The murmur of voices drew his attention to the side of his bed where Lyra, Hermione and surprisingly Luna sat speaking in hushed tones over an open book.

Harry struggled to sit up but Hermione was there with a hand on his chest. 

“No. You need to rest.” She said.

“Ron. Where?” he croaked out.

Hermione glanced over at Lyra and Luna who had continued their conversation. She lowered her voice. “He didn’t want to be in the room with a slimy snake and Lyra’s very persuasive.”

“Ravenclaw.” He said again, voice raw and achy. 

“Well, the whole school knows she’s a Ravenclaw, she’s top of her class in almost every subject. He was talking about her name.” Hermione said. Harry was happy to call her a friend. She was so smart. He could only get out a few words but she knew exactly what he was trying to say.

Harry turned his head from Hermione to Lyra and Luna who were now silent and watching him. 

“Hey.” He said.

Lyra raised and eyebrow at him but smiled moments later. She stood. “Get well soon.” She nodded to them and left the room.

Hermione watcher her go with a smile. Harry looked curiously at Luna.

“Lyra is my only friend in Ravenclaw. She promised me I could make more friends outside of the house if I came with her, though, she told me not to tell anyone she said that.” Luna’s voice was light and airy. Her eyes were slightly unfocused. 

Harry smiled a little. Despite Ron’s misgivings, the youngest Malfoy was a breath of fresh air and a joy to be around. She was nice and sweet and helpful and one of the prettiest girls Harry had ever seen. 

A thought struck him and he frowned. “Broom?”

Hermione and Luna glanced at one another and Harry knew that his day was about to get worse.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn’t just that he was stuck in the hospital wing; that he could deal with. It wasn’t even that a Malfoy was laughing at him. While an indignity, it was still one he could swallow. No. It was a combination of all those things and the single fact that his treasured broom, bereft of its rider, careened carelessly into the Whomping Willow and was then destroyed. His treasure was gone and the Malfoy beauty had the gall to laugh at him.

Ronald Billius Weasley was absolutely livid. How dare Hermione take that filthy, slimy Slytherin’s side over his? Couldn’t she see that she was evil? She was a Malfoy! Not just any Malfoy, no, she was the younger sister of the bane of their collective existence, Draco Malfoy not to mention the daughter of Lucius Malfoy. She was evil just like them!

So, Ron fumed and paced up and down the Gryffindor common room, ranting and raving to anyone that would listen. Eventually, people, even his own sister, got tired of listening. Neville Longbottom took it upon himself to make it stop.

“Ron, no ones listening to you.” He said in his quiet voice. 

“But she’s evil! Just like her brother and father!”

“That’s just it, Ron. She’s not like them. She’s helpful and kind. Merlin, she’s even pretty funny.”

“It’s a dirty Slytherin trick!”

Neville stayed quiet and went back to reading in his quiet corner. He wasn’t about to get into it with Ron. 

“…And then she had to go and give Harry those books!”

That was it. The book snapped shut. Neville stood and got in Ron’s face until the taller red head backed up. 

“This is beyond stupid school yard prejudices. You should have been the one to mention those books to him.” Neville said.

“You could have done it as well.” Ron said, tone petulant and body language sulky.

“You’re his best friend and a pureblood. It was your duty, as soon as you found out that he was raised by muggles, to educate him on his rights and duties. Hannah and I thought you had done all of that and he, like your family, didn’t care. If we had even dreamed that you didn’t one of us would have approached him already. And don’t even get me started on Hermione. She’s better than that and you know it. I’m glad that Lyra Malfoy stepped in.” Neville’s voice was low but somehow, it carried through out the common room. 

Everything was quiet save for the crackle of the fire. The normally raucous and rambunctious Gryffindors were oddly silent, straining to listen to what Neville was saying. 

“My parents don’t believe in any of that stuff and neither do I. It’s just pureblood supremacy disguised as history and culture. Harry wouldn’t want to know about any of that. If I could just get him and Hermione to take a step back and look at that stuff…” Ron trailed off at the glare Neville levelled at him.

“Both your father and your mother’s families are a part of the Sacred Twenty-eight.”

“They’ve renounced that and the titles that go along with it.”

“Luckily for Hannah, Harry and myself, our parents weren’t that stupid or that selfish.”

Ron’s temper flared. “You having a go at my parents?”

Neville stood tall. “I’ll have a go at anyone stupid enough to question the belief system that founded our world.”

The two stared each other down. This would be the split all through Gryffindor House. There were quite a few purebloods and children whose parents followed the old ways and put a lot of stock in family lines and culture. There were also half-bloods and muggle-borns and those of more common ancestry who were recognized and thus given a place amongst the upper crust of society.

But, there were a few that felt as Ron and his family did. The Old Ways and all of the old family histories, cultural practices and traditions were simply ways to push muggle-borns out and elevate purebloods and to a lesser extent, half-bloods, at least according to them. Ron followed his family’s belief in the evil of those practices. 

“I never took your for a pureblood supremacist, Neville.” Ron’s tone was scathing.

Neville returned to his seat and picked up his book. “And I always knew you were a bit daft. I just never realized how much.”

With that, Neville opened his book and continued to read, ignoring any and all attempts from Ron to continue the conversation. And just like that, the line in Gryffindor house was drawn and there was no going back.

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Unaware of the goings on of his own house, Harry Potter sat, sulking in the hospital wing, while Poppy Pomfrey puttered around, ignoring her irate patient. Hermione and Luna had both left leaving only Lyra to keep his company and she was no help. Instead she kept a single hand over her mouth, hiding her lips from his view. 

She was laughing at him. Sure, no sound escaped but he could tell from the quiver of her shoulders and the shine to her eyes that she thought his predicament was hilarious.

“If all you’re going to do is laugh, feel free to cut your visit short.” He said, petulant.

It wasn’t just that he was stuck in the hospital wing; that he could deal with. It wasn’t even that a Malfoy was laughing at him. While an indignity, it was still one he could swallow. No. It was a combination of all those things and the single fact that his treasured broom, bereft of its rider, careened carelessly into the Whomping Willow and was then destroyed. His treasure was gone and the Malfoy beauty had the gall to laugh at him.

“No need to be so rude, mister Potter.” Madam Pomfrey said. “Miss Malfoy was simply keeping you company.”

Harry’s scowl deepened. “Well she doesn’t have to be so happy about it.”

Lyra dropped her hand. “I’m sorry. I won’t laugh.”

Harry looked at her. Her eyes were still shiny with suppressed laughter and her lips twitched. He shook his head. 

“No use making a promise you can’t keep. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about recognition.” He said.

Madam Pomfrey perked up. “About time, mister Potter. Many of us were hoping that you would recognize miss Granger!”

Harry frowned. “Why didn’t anyone ever tell me, about any of this stuff.”

It was the medi-witch’s turn to frown. “Mister Weasley was your introduction to the Wizarding World. We’d all assumed that you would take the same path as the Weasleys. Nothing wrong with that of course.” 

“I don’t understand.” Harry said. He frowned harder.

“That is no surprise. You always seem to be a constant state of confusion.” Lyra said with a smile to soften the words.

Sure she was teasing him and the thought of her teasing him made Harry blush a little, he still didn’t appreciate her calling him stupid. Yes he was a little slow on the uptake at times but he wasn’t stupid. How do you know about things that you know nothing about? How do you know what questions to ask when you don’t even know that the questions have answers let alone that there are questions to be asked in the first place? The answer? You don’t. So for the longest time, Harry didn’t.

“I didn’t know. I still don’t know.”

“I shouldn’t laugh at your ignorance.” Lyra said.

Harry bunched the bed sheets in his fists. “Why didn’t Ron tell me? He’s my best friend. I had a right to know!”

Lyra fought herself. On the one hand, she disliked the Weasleys just as much as the rest of her family. On the other hand her dislike of them was more on principal rather than out of anything personal. 

She pursed her lips and sighed. “Don’t get too upset at your Weasley.”

“He kept my heritage from me! I don’t know all that much about my parents and he knew that! Anything that would bring me closer to them, to my family, I would…” He trailed off, looked down and away from Lyra, and took a deep breath.

“Talk to your Weasley.” She stood. 

Harry looked up. “Wait! I still want to know about Recognition!”

Lyra nodded. “Later. When you’re better.”

“Why are you helping me?”

Lyra smiled. “Can’t I be doing this from the goodness of my heart?”

“I mean no offence but you’re a Malfoy. You don’t do things from the goodness of your hearts.”

“Maybe I’m different.”

“You are different but you’re not doing this from the goodness of your heart. You stand to gain something. What is it?”

Lyra remained silent for a long time. Madame Pomfrey had long since left them. The hospital wing was quiet. That hush continued for quite a while until finally, Lyra responded.

“You’re smarter than people give you credit for.”

“Are you admitting to something?”

Lyra walked closer to the bed, mischief and humour shining in her eyes. She placed both hands on either side of Harry and leaned in. He froze and watched her. She moved until their noses were pressed together and gave him an Eskimo kiss.

“I do want something from you, Harry Potter.”

The dark haired Malfoy stood up and walked away. Harry watched her walk away and touched his nose where hers had brushed him. She had been close enough to kiss but Harry had just sat there, immobilized. A slow smile spread across his face.

**Author's Note:**

> Guys, I know that those aren't the Ravenclaw colours. I also know the Ravenclaw house animal. Just bear with me.


End file.
